Cassette storage container

ABSTRACT

A cassette storage container having short protruding opposed detents extending interiorly in the container for cooperative engagement with opposed outwardly extending elongated protrusions or flanges on cassette end walls to lock the cassette in the container to prevent accidental displacement thereof. Also, the distance between the side and end walls of the container may be slightly smaller than the area between the side and end walls of the cassette whereby the cassette may be held frictionally therein. A fulcrum is provided in the bottom wall of the container on which the cassette seats and about which the cassette is moved when pressure is applied to the top end surface of the cassette, or such fulcra may be positioned integrally on the bottom wall of the cassette to obtain the same action.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Oren G. Stembel 3132 N. Nathchez,Chicago, II]. 60634 {21] Appl. No. 889,044 [22] Filed Dec. 30, 1969 [45]Patented Nov. 16, 1971 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No.737,109, June 14, 1968, now abandoned. This application Dec. 30, 1969,Ser. No. 889,044

[54] CASSETTE STORAGE CONTAINER 12 Claims, 13 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 206/65 R, 206/1, 220/20, 229/25 [5 l Int. Cl 865d 1/34,B65d 85/67 [50] Field of Search 206/52 R, 52 F, 72, 79, 65 R, DIG. 32,l; 220/31 S, 20; 229/25 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS521,102 6/1894 Crocker 206/D1G. 32 2,720,969 lO/ l 955 Kendall 206/72 UXPrimary E.\-aminerWilliam T. Dixson, Jr. Attorney-Rummler and SnowABSTRACT: A cassette storage container having short protruding opposeddetents extending interiorly in the container for cooperative engagementwith opposed outwardly extending elongated protrusions or flanges oncassette end walls to lock the cassette in the container to preventaccidental displacement thereof. Also, the distance between the side andend walls of the container may be slightly smaller than the area betweenthe side and end walls of the cassette whereby the cassette may be heldfrictionally therein. A fulcrum is provided in the bottom wall of thecontainer on which the cassette seats and about which the cassette ismoved when pressure is applied to the top end surface of the cassette,or such fulcra may be positioned integrally on the bottom wall of thecassette to obtain the same action.

PATENTEnuuv 1 s 19?: 3, 20 36 7 sum 2 or 2 INVENTOR ORE/V GISTEMBELCASSETTE STORAGE CONTAINER This application is a continuation-in-part ofmy application Ser. No. 737,109, filed June 14, 1968 now abandoned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of this invention is to providea container for cassettes in which the cassette will be held againstaccidental displacement and wherein the combination includes means inthe container for latching the cassette gears, and fulcra means fordeliberate displacement of the cassette when desired.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cassette containerhaving means in the container sidewalls and on the cassette end walls tocooperatively retain a cassette in the container and prevent accidentaldisplacement thereof. Further, to provide a fulcrum either on thecassette proper or in the bottom of the container about which thecassette moves when pressure is applied to the top outer end of thecassette whereby the opposite end of the cassette will be raised out ofthe container. Further, to provide a container having an integrallyformed post to lock the teeth of the gears of a cassette when positionedin the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of amultiple container of my invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. I, butillustrates the cassette in position therein in full lines.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. I.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the cassette in positionto be removed from the container and moved about a fulcra.

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged view of the area shown within thebroken-lined circle in FIG. 2 but illustrating a detent locking thecassette in the container.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cassette.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of a container.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another form of a container.

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of the bottom wall of a modifiedform of cassette.

FIG. I0 is a partial cross-sectional view of another modificationshowing detents positioned on the sidewalls.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on the lines 11-11 of FIG. 10.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are perspective views of two other modifications, withparts broken away.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The cassette storage containeraccording to this invention is preferably constructed of thinlightweight semiflexible plastic and molded into form.

In FIG. I, I have shown a container having six compartments and sinceeach is identical in form and construction, only one will be describedin detail.

Each compartment is provided with sidewalls 2, 4 and end walls 6, 8,respectively, are slightly tapered upwardly from the bottom wall 10.

A pair of spaced elongated pivot or fulcrum supports or bars 12, 14 ofsemicylindrical form are integrally formed or molded in the bottom wall10. As shown in FIGS. I and 3, these members l2, 14 extend inwardlytoward wall 2 from the sidewall 4 substantially medially of the longaxis of the container. A pair of opposed detents or protrusions l6, 18are provided in the end walls 6 and 8, respectively, adjacent to theupper edges thereof and each extends inwardly into the interior of thecontainer.

The cassette 20 is of the usual and customary design readily found onthe open market and is provided with identical flanges 22 and 24extending outwardly on the opposed end walls 27, 28, respectively, andadjacent to the ends of the sidewall or face as shown in FIG. 6.

The relationship of the detents l6, l8 and the flanges 22, 23

is critical in that the distance the detents extend inwardly into thecompartment must be substantially the same as the width of the flangeswhereby the cassette may be snapped into the container with the flangespositioned below the detents 16, 18 as shown in FIG. 5. The flanges arereadily forced over the detents as the detents and flanges are eachslightly rounded at their edges. As will be seen in the preferredembodiment drawings, the cassette is of a height less than the depth ofthe container (see FIG. 5). Also, the width and length of the cassetteplus the width of the flanges 22, 24 is likewise substantially equal toor slightly less than the width and length of the container.

All cassettes are provided with the usual pair of nylon gears 32, 33which wind and rewind the tape therein, and both are loosely positionedand retained therein.

The walls of the container are preferably inverted U-shape cross sectionfor stability, as illustrated in the drawings (see FIGS. 2 and 3, forinstance).

To best illustrate the operation of the invention, FIG. 2 shows thecassette positioned in the container resting on the supports 12, 14. Asshould be obvious, and as especially shown in FIG. 5, it is almostimpossible to accidentally displace the cassette.

As shown in FIG. 4, pressure, for instance, by a finger, is applied tothe left-hand side of the top of the cassette as indicated by the letterP" and the arrow. The cassette at this point shifts to the bottom wall10 about the fulcrum 12, thereby causing the right-hand end (asillustrated in this figure) of the cassette to move upwardly, with theflange 22 snapping over the detent 18. Now the cassette may be readilywithdrawn from the container.

The cassette is replaced in the container by pressuring both the flanges22, 24 simultaneously over the detents.

It should now be obvious from the foregoing disclosure that a singlefulcrum (see FIG. 8) may be provided on the bottom wall 10 medially ofthe end walls 6, 8 since the cassette will readily pivot thereabout forrelease of the cassette from the container, in the same manner asdescribed heretofore. Also, the protrusions or detents 16, 18 may be anykind of a projection into the interior of the container as long as theyproject inwardly in the same proportion as expressed in the principalembodiment described above. For instance, in the modification of FIG. 8,the area between the end and sidewalls may be slightly smaller than thelength and width of the cassette so that the cassette may befrictionally held in the container instead of employing detents. In themodification of FIG. 7, the container walls 2, 4, 6 and 8 are roughenedas at 50 and the distance between the end and sidewalls may be onlyslightly smaller than the length and width of the cassette whereby thecassette will also be held in the container frictionally.

The posts 36, 38 of all containers illustrated are accurately positionedand are integrally anchored or molded in or to the bottom wall 10 inalignment with the axis of respective gears 32, 33 of the cassette. Theupper ends of the posts 36, 38 are tapered as at 40, 42 to come to theblunt edges 44, 46. Thus, when the cassette is positioned in thecontainer properly, no matter where the spaces between the teeth 51 ofthe gears 32, 33 are located, the blunt ends 44, 46 will cause them toshift so that the upper end of the tapered walls 40, 42 will bepositioned between two individual teeth and prevent rotation of thegears 32, 33, and prevent accidental shitting of the tape on the gear.

Also, because of the position of the posts 36, 38, the face 30 of thecassette will be positioned correctly in the container adjacent thesidewall 4 to insure latching engagement of the eassette in thecontainer.

Because of the normal openings 52 and 54 in the face 30 and rear wall 55of the cassette (see FIG. 6), it should be obvious that appropriatelatching of the cassette may be insured because the detents orprotrusions 16, 18', may be appropriately placed on the sidewalls 2, 4(see FIG. 11) to cooperate with any of the openings 52, 54.

As shown in FIG. 9, the cassette itself may be formed with a protrusion56 on the bottom wall 58 which may act as a fulcrum to release thecassette from a container not having the fulcra 12-14 on the bottom wallthereof.

As best shown in FIG. 12, the end walls 6, and 8, are provided withvertically extending and inwardly protruding bosses or protrusions 58 ofa thickness slightly larger than the width ofthe flanges 22 on thecassette and offset therefrom when the cassette is in the container tohold the container frictionally to prevent accidental displacementthereof. These protrusions are normally molded in the sidewall.

Also, as shown in FIG. 10, the sidewalls 4' and 5' may be cut out as at60 whereby, by using the fingers, the cassette may be removed from thecontainer against the holding action of the detents and/or frictionalretention.

In the modification shown in FIG. 13, the friction retaining means is apair of opposed protrusions 70 extending inwardly toward each other andpositioned on the end walls 6a and 80 whereby when the cassette 20 isplaced therein, the flanges 22-24 will lie thereagainst. A thirdprotrusion 72 is positioned on the sidewall 20 medially between the endwalls 6a and 8a whereby the head 74 of the cassette will liethereagainst.

The support means 76 is a pair of raised portions about which thecassette pivots when pressure is applied adjacent one end of the topwall, the same way as shown in FIG. 4.

It is to be understood that the details shown may be altered or omittedwithout departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a cassette having an outwardly extending flangeon each of the end walls thereof substantially medially of the top andbottom edges thereof and having a pair of spaced wind and rewind gears,a container having end and sidewalls and a bottom wall, said bottom wallhaving a support means, a pair of short upstanding posts each in axialalignment with said cassette gears when said cassette is positioned insaid container, each of said posts having a means for seating betweenadjacent pairs of gear teeth, a pair of opposed detents one on each ofthe end walls adjacent the upper edge of said sidewall and extendinginwardly into the container and overlying said flanges on said cassettewhen said cassette is positioned in said container, whereby whenpressure is applied to the top wall of the cassette adjacent one end thecassette will fulcrum about said support means and release said cassettefrom said detent.

2. The device accordingto claim 1 wherein plural support means areprovided in said bottom wall.

3. The combination with a cassette having an outwardly extending flangeon each of the end walls thereof substantially medially of the top andbottom edges thereof and having a pair of spaced wind and rewind gears,a plurality of containers for said cassettes, each container having endand sidewalls and a bottom wall, said bottom wall having a supportmeans, a pair of short upstanding posts each in axial alignment withsaid cassette gears when said cassette is positioned in said container,each of said posts having a means for seating between adjacent pairs ofgear teeth, a pair of opposed detents one on each of the end wallsadjacent the upper edge of said sidewall and extending inwardly into thecontainer and overlying said flanges on said cassette when said cassetteis positioned in said container, whereby when pressure is applied to thetop wall of the cassette adjacent one end of the cassette will fulcrumabout said support means and release said cassette from said detent.

slightl smaller than the length and width of the cassette where y saidcassette is frictionally held in said container to prevent accidentaldisplacement and fulcrum means on the bottom wall of said container forremoving said cassette from said container.

6. A cassette having a pairof side and end walls and a bottom and topwall, a raised portion on said bottom wall extending downwardlytherefrom to act as a fulcrum point, and a pair of spaced gears therein,in combination with a container having a pair of side and end walls, anda bottom wall, and friction means on one of said container walls toretain said cassette therein to prevent accidental displacement thereofand a pair of upstanding posts on said bottom wall adapted to coact withsaid gears when said cassette is in the container to prevent rotationthereof.

7. The device according to claim 6 wherein one of the container walls iscut away to expose a portion of the cassette exteriorly 0f the containerto form an opening therein to remove the cassette from the container.

8. The combination of a cassette having a pair of end and sidewalls anda top and bottom wall, a flange on each of said end walls extendingoutwardly therefrom and positioned adjacent one end thereof, and a pairof spaced gears therein; a container for said cassette having a pair ofside and end walls and 'a bottom wall, a pair of spaced posts formedintegrally in said bottom wall and extending upwardly each in axialalignment with said cassette gears when said cassette is housed in saidcontainer, a support means on said bottom wall to elevate the majorportion of the bottom wall of said cassette above the surface of saidbottom wall of said cassette when housed in said container, a pair ofopposed vertically extending protrusions, one on each of said containerend walls and extending inwardly therefrom, the distance between theprotrusions being less than the overall length of the cassette, tofrictionally retain said cassette in said container, whereby whendownward pressure is exerted on said top wall of said cassette adjacentone end, the cassette will fulcrum about said support means to releasesaid cassette from said container.

9. The container according to claim 8 wherein the protrusions on saidend walls are adjacent one of the sidewalls, and the distance betweenthe protrusions is less than the overall length of the cassetteincluding the flanges thereon.

10. The device according to claim 8 wherein an additional protrusion isincorporated on one of the sidewalls which will lie against the head ofthe cassette when positioned in said container.

1 l. A tray having plural compartments for housing a plurality ofcassettes, each compartment comprising end and sidewalls and a bottomwall, holding means on a pair of said walls to secure a cassette in saidcompartment, support means on the bottom wall for forming a fulcrumpoint, said holding means engaging a portion of the interior structureof the eassette housed in said compartment.

12. A container according to claim 11 wherein the holding means aredetents.

* t i III

1. The combination with a cassette having an outwardly extending flangeon each of the end walls thereof substantially medially of the top andbottom edges thereof and having a pair of spaced wind and rewind gears,a container having end and sidewalls and a bottom wall, said bottom wallhaving a support means, a pair of short upstanding posts each in axialalignment with said cassette gears when said cassette is positioned insaid container, each of said posts having a means for seating betweenadjacent pairs of gear teeth, a pair of opposed detents one on each ofthe end walls adjacent the upper edge of said sidewall and extendinginwardly into the container and overlying said flanges on said cassettewhen said cassette is positioned in said container, whereby whenpressure is applied to the top wall of the cassette adjacent one end thecassette will fulcrum about said support means and release said cassettefrom said detent.
 2. The device according tO claim 1 wherein pluralsupport means are provided in said bottom wall.
 3. The combination witha cassette having an outwardly extending flange on each of the end wallsthereof substantially medially of the top and bottom edges thereof andhaving a pair of spaced wind and rewind gears, a plurality of containersfor said cassettes, each container having end and sidewalls and a bottomwall, said bottom wall having a support means, a pair of shortupstanding posts each in axial alignment with said cassette gears whensaid cassette is positioned in said container, each of said posts havinga means for seating between adjacent pairs of gear teeth, a pair ofopposed detents one on each of the end walls adjacent the upper edge ofsaid sidewall and extending inwardly into the container and overlyingsaid flanges on said cassette when said cassette is positioned in saidcontainer, whereby when pressure is applied to the top wall of thecassette adjacent one end of the cassette will fulcrum about saidsupport means and release said cassette from said detent.
 4. A containeraccording to claim 3 wherein the support means is a pair of spacedsemicylindrical bars.
 5. The combination with a cassette having spacedwind and rewind gears therein, a container having end and sidewalls anda bottom wall, means on said bottom wall extending upwardly in axialalignment with said gears when said cassette is positioned in saidcontainer, and for engagement with said gears, the area between the endand sidewalls of said container being slightly smaller than the lengthand width of the cassette whereby said cassette is frictionally held insaid container to prevent accidental displacement and fulcrum means onthe bottom wall of said container for removing said cassette from saidcontainer.
 6. A cassette having a pair of side and end walls and abottom and top wall, a raised portion on said bottom wall extendingdownwardly therefrom to act as a fulcrum point, and a pair of spacedgears therein, in combination with a container having a pair of side andend walls, and a bottom wall, and friction means on one of saidcontainer walls to retain said cassette therein to prevent accidentaldisplacement thereof and a pair of upstanding posts on said bottom walladapted to coact with said gears when said cassette is in the containerto prevent rotation thereof.
 7. The device according to claim 6 whereinone of the container walls is cut away to expose a portion of thecassette exteriorly of the container to form an opening therein toremove the cassette from the container.
 8. The combination of a cassettehaving a pair of end and sidewalls and a top and bottom wall, a flangeon each of said end walls extending outwardly therefrom and positionedadjacent one end thereof, and a pair of spaced gears therein; acontainer for said cassette having a pair of side and end walls and abottom wall, a pair of spaced posts formed integrally in said bottomwall and extending upwardly each in axial alignment with said cassettegears when said cassette is housed in said container, a support means onsaid bottom wall to elevate the major portion of the bottom wall of saidcassette above the surface of said bottom wall of said cassette whenhoused in said container, a pair of opposed vertically extendingprotrusions, one on each of said container end walls and extendinginwardly therefrom, the distance between the protrusions being less thanthe overall length of the cassette, to frictionally retain said cassettein said container, whereby when downward pressure is exerted on said topwall of said cassette adjacent one end, the cassette will fulcrum aboutsaid support means to release said cassette from said container.
 9. Thecontainer according to claim 8 wherein the protrusions on said end wallsare adjacent one of the sidewalls, and the distance between theprotrusions is less than the overall length of the cassette includingthe flanges thereon.
 10. The device according to claim 8 wherein anadditionAl protrusion is incorporated on one of the sidewalls which willlie against the head of the cassette when positioned in said container.11. A tray having plural compartments for housing a plurality ofcassettes, each compartment comprising end and sidewalls and a bottomwall, holding means on a pair of said walls to secure a cassette in saidcompartment, support means on the bottom wall for forming a fulcrumpoint, said holding means engaging a portion of the interior structureof the cassette housed in said compartment.
 12. A container according toclaim 11 wherein the holding means are detents.